Family and friends release balloons to honor slain girl...

1of3De'Maree Adkins' father, Detram Adkins, and mother, Latoyia Thomas, address the crowd assembled for a balloon release in memory of their 8-year-old daughter, who loved to write and was called a "girly-girl."﻿Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff

3of3DeÂMaree Adkins, 8-year old, was shot to death after car crash. Adkins and her mom, Latoyia Thomas were driving near the intersection of the Sam Houston Parkway feeder and Fuqua Street, when a speeding car hit their vehicle. The driver from the other vehicle jumped into another car and then started to shooting at ThomasÂ vehicle.Â

Purple, white and pink balloons floated above the intersection at Beltway 8 and West Fuqua. The colors were De'Maree Adkins' favorites.

As her family watched the balloons circle the pink sky Wednesday evening, they held each other and sobbed. They were still trying to grasp that the 8-year-old whom they described as a "girly-girl" had lost her life over the weekend in a random shooting at the same intersection.

Just hours earlier, Houston Police announced that an unnamed 19-year-old man had been arrested in connection with De'Maree's death.

The third-grader was killed early Saturday after she and her mother collided with a speeding car. Her mother, Latoyia Thomas, reported seeing another person drive up, get out of the car and begin shooting.

The slain girl's grandfather, Melvin Jarmon, said the family was relieved to know that an arrest had been made, but it didn't lessen the pain of losing the little girl.

"It still hurts," Jarmon said. "Nothing can replace her," he added as family, friends and teachers of De'Maree's gathered at sunset to release balloons in her honor.

Among those who mourned the girl was Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, who led the family in prayer.

At an earlier news conference, he said authorities are not releasing the suspect's name because they still want witnesses to come forward. They plan to release the name in the coming days.

"We want to make sure that we don't jeopardize the investigation," Acevedo said. "We still have witnesses out there. Those witnesses, you know who you are. You need to step forward."

Acevedo said police are "highly confident" they have the right suspect, although the teen was not immediately charged in the killing. Because the crime took place in Fort Bend County, police are working with the district attorney there to file charges.

The chief declined to say whether the suspect confessed but said the department is "actively continuing" the investigation.

Previously, Acevedo said the shooting could be gang-related.

"Now, I don't know that definitively," he told reporters Monday. "But let's face it, most people don't go out in the middle of the night shooting at people."

Even though police didn't name the suspected killer, Mayor Sylvester Turner emphasized the importance of updating the community on the case.

"The reason why the announcement is being made," he said, is because of people in the community "stepping up and providing the necessary tips and the necessary leads."

Thomas was just five minutes from home after getting her hair braided when the violence broke out early Saturday morning.

The 39-year-old had ventured to a new hair stylist on FM 1960. After a long day, she was eager to make it home around 2 a.m. with Adkins, who was sound asleep in the backseat.

After shots were fired, Thomas did not realize her daughter was injured until she tried to take her out of the car. That's when she noticed the blood on her jacket.

"I told her to stay with me, stay with me," Thomas said, breaking down into tears. "Her body just went limp."

Terri Zawacki, one of De'Maree's teachers at MacGregor Elementary School, first met the little girl in kindergarten during after school pick-up. She would often hold her hand and walk her to her grandfather's car.

"Every time she saw me at school, she would come and hug me," Zawacki said. "I can't believe she's gone."